Outward Bound!
by retrograde6
Summary: HP/DM SLASH. Set in Harry's sixth year. The sixth and seventh years go for an Outward Bound course! Draco and Neville cook, Ron is traumatised, Harry is blissfully oblivious, tents catch fire and tempers fly. :)


A/N: [a] This will be a **slash fic** from the second chapter onwards, just so you know. Slash meaning male/male relationships, so well, don't read it and get all pissed if you don't like that sort of stuff. Really, you'll save your time, and ours.

And here we have Harry and co. going for OBS! :D This fic is co-written by Icicle and a. Our friend, shez, came up with this idea, actually, so all credit should go to her. I started off the first chapter below until after the Hogwarts letter, but plans were changed somewhere in the process so from there this first chapter is written by Icicle. Both of us will take turns to write the events of one entire day. Each chapter represents an... aspect, I suppose, of Outward Bound, e.g. pitching tents :) We've put the setting of OBS in Singapore, because well, that's the course we underwent, and we have no idea what the overseas Outward Bound schools are like. The location doesn't really affect the story, though. In fact, it might add some humour to it. You'll see. :)

[Icicle] Heya! Yes yes, I'm writing the first chapter. First of all don't blame us if the activities they do are a bit¡­ different, because Shez and I had the residential course and a had mobile, so we just kind of combined the activities together! Yayee. Er¡­ I shall begin. PS: OBS rocks.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns everyone and everything. She won't share! Sniff.

Harry's POV  
***

I was eating breakfast with the Weasleys when the Hogwarts owls swooped into the room and promptly dropped our school letters into our respective bowls of cereal. Picking up my letter and letting the excess milk drip off of it, I carefully patted it as dry as I could manage with a table napkin and opened the sodden letter to read it.

_Dear Mr Potter,_

_Please note that with effect from this year, all sixth-years are required to undergo the Outward Bound School (OBS) course. The Headmaster and staff of the school have come to a conclusion that more interaction between the Houses is direly needed, and to facilitate inter-House relations, this new change has been implemented. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign. The course will take place over a duration of five days, from the third to the seventh of September. More information will be provided to you when the new school year begins. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross Station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o' clock on September the first._

_A list of books for next year and your OBS pack list are enclosed._

_Yours sincerely,  
Professor M. McGonagall  
Deputy Headmistress_

Outward Bound? I think I'd heard of it from Dudley before. He had complained the whole of last summer about how Smeltings sent its fifth-year boys to Outward Bound for five days, too, but apparently, when Dudley reached the school, he had taken one look at it and demanded that he be sent back to England _at once_ or else the Headmaster would be hearing from Uncle Vernon.

''They _don't have_ computers? And where _are_ the Playstations?'' he had asked his instructor. Needless to say, he had been sent home immediately, where he had proceeded to boast to Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia about how the instructors had set a swarm of bees on them, and how he, and he alone, had gallantly fought them all off before demanding to be sent back home. Uncle Vernon was now so proud of his brave boy that he let him have whatever he wanted, at any time of the day, while Aunt Petunia was so horrified at the idea of her precious baby boy being attacked that she constantly burst into tears whenever she saw Dudley, and was always trying to hug him, the only problem being the fact that Aunt Petunia's skinny arms could never quite reach round Dudley's middle.

Of course, I didn't think there was any truth in what Dudley had said, and I was frankly feeling quite excited about it. I was sure Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would be only too happy to let me go, as I had heard them discussing how to make me go after Dudley had told them how absurdly dangerous the course was. Too bad I couldn't get them to sign the form now, since I was at the Weasleys'. Never mind, then. I would just have to send the form to Sirius instead. Anyway, like I said, I couldn't help looking forward to the course. Judging from his expression, Ron couldn't either.

Ron's POV  
***

Cool. I hoped Malfoy wouldn't be able to take it. Damn spoiled brat. It would be fun to see him suffer. (A/N: Sniff. It hurts me so to say this. =P) There were tons of Muggle things I had to pack that we didn't have though. How the hell were we going to afford all that Muggle stuff? Well, maybe Dad had some hidden away somewhere. Hopefully they hadn't been bewitched.

''Are those your school letters again?'' Mum asked, breaking into my thoughts. ''We can probably go to Diagon Alley tomorrow, and get your¡­''

''Oh wow! Oh wow!'' Dad suddenly exclaimed. I hadn't realised that he had walked over to me and was currently reading the letter in my hand, his eyes growing wider by the second.

''You have to bring fire starters! And matches! And candles! Oh look! It says in the pack list that you're not allowed to use your wands except in emergencies! No magic! Everything done the Muggle way!'' he blabbered, nearly hopping up and down in his excitement.

''What? What do you mean?'' Now Mum was coming over. And Fred. And George. And Percy. And Ginny. It was getting just a little too crowded. Everyone was pushing and shoving, trying to get a glimpse of the letter.

''Er¡­ You can read my letter if you can't really see Ron's. They're the same, really.'' Harry offered suddenly. Oh, _thank you_ Harry ¨C sweet, kind,_ loveable_ Harry.

No, I wasn't being sarcastic. Really.

''Oh thank you, Harry dear! How thoughtful of you,'' gushed Mum, before racing over with Percy to read the letter Harry was holding. The rest of the family didn't move, except for Ginny, who took two steps towards Harry, then went very red and scuttled back to me. 

''Oh how lovely,'' said Mum when she had finished reading. ''We can go to London to get your Muggle stuff tomorrow, then.''

''We can use the car,'' Dad piped up, a big smile on his face. ''The Muggle way, of course,'' he added hastily, upon seeing his wife start to open her mouth.

Hermione's POV  
***

I reached platform nine and three-quarters at 11 o' clock sharp on September the first, and began looking around for a sign of Ron and Harry. I presumed that they, too, had received the letters about OBS, and I couldn't wait to discuss it with them. Oh, I hoped they would have a library there. It would be so interesting to read up on OBS history! I just couldn't understand why Harry and Ron hated books so. Didn't they know just how much knowledge they were missing out on by neglecting their books? Didn't they know just how much smarter they would be if only they loved books? Didn't they care about their future, or know just what a big advantage they would have in their everyday lives if only they read a bit more?

I was suddenly jerked out of my thoughts by Harry, who had appeared out of nowhere and was waving madly at me. I waved back, and he and Ron hurried over, both grinning joyfully. Did I forget to mention that Ron and I are together? Must have slipped my mind. Another reason why I wished he'd read more.

''Hello, Hermione,'' Harry greeted me, his green eyes sparkling behind his as-round-as-Santa's-glasses. Ron grinned coyly at me. Interesting.

''Are you looking forward to it?'' I asked immediately. A look of confusion flitted across their faces, so I decided to explain myself. Guys could be so slow at times.

''OBS,'' I said impatiently.

''Oh yes!'' Ron nodded. ''Simply wicked!''

''I heard the seventh years are going too, since they missed out on it last year,'' I informed them matter-of-factly. ''Guess Cho will be there too, then.''

I suppressed a smile as I saw Harry's eyes grow as round as his glasses. He blushed furiously before turning away slightly, trying without success to hide his burning face. ''Oh... er... that's nice...'' he muttered, going even redder.

Ron was smirking at Harry's obvious infatuation when the Hogwarts Express arrived, and Harry was saved from further embarrassment by hurling himself into one of the carriages as soon as the train stopped. I followed him in, already planning in my head to bring all my Arithmancy books to OBS. Five days without reading would be positively unbearable.

Neville's POV  
***

I waved goodbye to my grandmother and sat back in my seat miserably. I wasn't looking forward to OBS very much. The mere thought of it scared me. Suppose we were attacked by wild animals in the jungle? Could I use my wand? That counted as an emergency, didn't it? What if it didn't? Would I get into trouble for using magic? Not that any spell of mine would work, but still...

I was suddenly aware of a light glowing somewhere in the depths of one of my pockets. It was my Rememberall. Uh oh. It was bright red. What had I forgotten this time? Shorts? No. Pants? Nah. Swimwear, perhaps? I doubted it. Or maybe the item I'd forgotten wasn't OBS-related. My wand? No, it was right here. My books? No... My cauldron? Or my wand? No, wait, I'd considered that already. Had I? My pants? No? Had I thought about my shorts yet? I don't think I did¡­

Draco's POV  
***

Another year at Hogwarts. Another start-of-term feast had just ended, and now here was Dumbledore again, looking just the fool he was, smiling down at all of us. Everyone went quiet, especially the over-excited first years, who had so far been downright irritating. I was glad to see that the bunch of first-year Slytherins at our table weren't looking up at Dumbledore in awe. At least they knew better than to make fools out of themselves.

''Now I shall say something important,'' he started. What a git. His speeches were always so¡­ immature. He went on. ''In two days time, the sixth and seventh-years will be at Outward Bound.''

A ripple of excitement passed over the crowd as soon as he said this, and even I couldn't help feeling a tinge of anticipation. Not that I was looking forward to it, of course. If you asked me, I thought the whole thing was a really stupid idea. Five whole days abstaining from magic and the wizarding world, using stupid Muggle methods to start fires, wearing Muggle clothes all the time... it was enough to drive any respectable pureblood crazy.

''Well,'' he continued. ''Pack your bags and be ready at your respective common rooms by 8 am on September the third. Seventh-years will be travelling by Portkey, sixth-years by Floo powder.''

Of all the lowly, disgusting ways to get there! How anyone could have come up with such an uncivilized way of travel was beyond my comprehension. Imagine having to get from one place to the other by being transported through a series of _fireplaces_! Just the thought of the soot that would undoubtedly stain my robes was enough to make me soak myself in a bath for hours on end. And what would happen to my hair? It was all right for _Potter_, _his hair was permanently dishevelled anyway, and besides, who would notice a bit of soot hidden in that black mass that just could pass off as hair? _I_, however, had an image to upkeep. This was getting worse and worse._

''That is all,'' Dumbledore concluded. I stared at him incredulously. What a speech. Simply brilliant.

Harry's POV  
***

September the third soon rolled round, and as I lay in my bed that morning, I tried, for the umpteenth time, to remember if I had forgotten to pack anything. In the pack list, Professor McGonagall had emphasized that we were to bring Muggle clothes, and that we were not to show any sign of being wizards and witches, for there were plenty of Muggles attending the course too. I grinned to myself as I tried to imagine what this must be doing to Malfoy. A lot, hopefully.

I rolled out of bed and got dressed quickly. Ron was already up, rubbing his eyes sleepily while trying to pull his T-shirt inside out over his striped pyjamas. Quite a funny sight, I must say. I waited for him to get dressed ¨C properly this time ¨C then the two of us made our way down to the Gryffindor common room.

The seventh-years were already there, all of them holding on tightly to a furry, purple handphone pouch. I wondered where they'd got that from.

''Any minute, now!'' came Professor McGonagall's voice. I hadn't known she was there. As I turned to look at her, I did a double take. It wasn't her hair ¨C it was still neatly tied up in a tight bun ¨C no, it was her clothes. She was wearing a bright purple T-shirt about a size too small and a tiny pair of pink shorts. Not that it was anything unusual, just that... this was _McGonagall_!_ I could see Ron grinning out of the corner of my eye, and Hermione, who had just arrived from the girls' dormitories, had her mouth hanging open. I was about to smile at her, when a sudden movement from behind me caught my attention._

''The Portkey! It's working!'' I thought, turning round. But they had gone. Ah well.

Professor McGonagall looked round at us sixth-years and nodded curtly. ''Shall we go?'' she asked, looking slightly pink as she realised just how many eyes were on her, checking out her, well, clothes. Yes. Clothes. Really. Only her clothes. What? Er... yes. Ahem. I turned away.

''One by one, now,'' she told us. ''This may take a while. Who has travelled by Floo powder before? Have you, Weasley. Very well, you can go first. Watch carefully, everyone. It's 'Outward Bound', Weasley.''

Well, good thing I hadn't told her I'd done it before too. I didn't like Floo powder and I certainly didn't want to be watched by all of them while I was doing it. I watched Ron step over to the fireplace confidently, looking _really _pleased to be the centre of attention. If you asked me, I didn't believe Ron was the only one who had travelled by Floo powder before. He took some Floo powder from Professor McGonagall, before throwing it into the flames. They turned green instantly, and my suspicions were confirmed, for no one expressed even the faintest bit of surprise. Ron didn't seem to notice this, and stepped into the flames smugly.

''Outward Bound!'' he yelled, and he was gone.

''Next!'' Professor McGonagall rapped out. ''What about you, Potter?''

I groaned inwardly, but it would be cowardly to refuse, wouldn't it? I shuddered to think what would happen if I did refuse. Draco Malfoy would get to hear about it, for one, and he would look forward to seeing me again no end, I'm sure. I nodded and stepped forward, a feeling of impending doom growing inside me, as I reached for the Floo powder.

Draco's POV  
***

I stared at my reflection in the mirror and scowled angrily. This. Was. Wrong. I looked stupid! I looked like a... like a... _M__uggle! A _M___uggle! I had to stop saying that. It was making me sick. __Five days of wearing trash like this. Pity me._

I stomped down the stairs, my mood as foul as Potter's stupid scar. I couldn't see any seventh-years anywhere. They'd probably already gone.

My mood improved slightly when I saw that all the others looked just as bad as I did, if not more so. I was in fact the best looking one, not that it was any surprise. I mean, compared to Snape, I looked like I would have won the stupid Muggle manhunt contest! Not that I would ever take part in such a meaningless contest, it was just a figure of speech, you git.

Anyway, Snape was wearing Muggle clothes too, and I must say, he looked _terrible. _Absolutely _horrifying_. He was wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, just as I was, but he just looked dreadful. It didn't suit him at all. I can't even begin to _explain_ how he looked. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind Snape, it's just that there's no denying how horrible he looked, is there?

''Mr Malfoy,'' he said quietly, ''come here for your Floo powder.''

_Me? Why me first? Why did he have to choose me for everything? Argh. I stepped forward with a smirk on my face ¨C were you expecting some other expression? ¨C and held out my hand for the Floo powder._

I stood before the fire with sick apprehension. I knew how to do it, I just didn't want to. I hurled the powder into the flames and turned to Professor Snape. ''What do I say, then?''

''Outward Bound,'' he snarled. I replaced my confident smirk and stepped into the flames.

''Outward Bound!'' I repeated, before I felt myself being hurtled... well, somewhere. How did you expect me to know, what with all the soot around me? I coughed and choked, feeling frustrated. How could they do this to a _Malfoy? _I had my hands planted firmly on my head. They were not going to mess up my hair. I had spent ages on it. I always did.

Where on earth was I going? Couldn't they make this stupid fire thing be a little quicker? I couldn't wait to get out. This means of transport was insane. My father would be most displeased.

Suddenly, it stopped. I opened my eyes. Yuck. I was covered in soot. And there were people here! There was Potter, Weasley, and Granger too. This was _highly_ embarrassing. I got up and brushed myself off with as much dignity as I could muster, hoping Potter and his little gang hadn't noticed me. Where was a bloody mirror when you needed one? Ugh.

I must have spent ages dusting myself, for when I'd finished, all the sixth-years had arrived. For the first time, I looked around me... well of _course_ I hadn't looked around yet, how could something as unimportant as my _surroundings take precedence over my __looks? Some people really need to sort out their priorities. Well __anyway, I was in a room. Pretty small, if you asked me. I guessed we had come from the little fire in the corner. Nothing interesting, really._

I looked around for Dumbledore, anxious to get a glimpse of what he was wearing. Something outrageous, I bet. I hoped he would not disappoint me.

He didn't. As I watched the crowd or sixth-years milling about, I spotted him a few metres away, doing nothing in particular. I choked.

There was a bright yellow hat perched on his head, and his long hair seemed to erupt from beneath it. His T-shirt was lime green, and his shorts a brilliant blue. My smirk broadened into a grin as my eyes travelled downwards. Bright orange slippers. What did I expect? Goodness. Talk about not attracting the attention of the Muggles. Crabbe and Goyle noticed me grinning at Dumbledore, well, shaking with silent laughter was more like it, and immediately started sniggering too. Stupid oafs. Did they really think I actually _liked_ them? I sneered at them, but they evidently thought I was referring to Dumbledore, for they both nodded dumbly, and smirked in unison. Or rather, they tried to, but frankly, who could beat _me_ in that department? I smirked a perfect smirk right back at them. _Watch and learn, imbeciles._

Then I realized where I was, and promptly wiped the smirk off my face. I was at OBS. For the next five days, I would be leading the life of a Muggle. Hooray.

A/N: [Icicle] Phew... it's finally done!!! I love doing the Draco bits; he's just so cute... Anyway. The next chapter will be written by a, I think, so that's really something to look forward to... it won't be as boring as this one, heehee. This is just... introductory?? Yeah. Anyway pleeeeeease review!!! Yeah! Wheeee!


End file.
